Zelensky Dismisses Defense Minister; Protests Follow in Kyiv and Other Cities

Ukrainians protested in Kyiv and several other cities on July 16, 2026, against President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to replace Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. The demonstrations marked the second major gathering of popular protests since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022. More than 1,000 people protested in Kyiv, Reuters reported.

The New York Times reported that protests also occurred in Odesa, Lviv, and Kharkiv, with more than 300 people chanting "Shame" outside the capital. Fedorov had served six months in the post. During that period he oversaw deep-strike attacks inside Russia against energy targets and supply lines, as well as expanded battlefield use of drones.

He arranged deals with Starlink that cut Russian front-line access to satellite internet and enabled military units to purchase some supplies directly. Fedorov introduced open tenders that produced 20% to 30% savings on 160,000 middle-range strike drones. Ukraine also saved $1,000 per 155 mm artillery shell and $100 million overall in artillery tenders under his initiatives.

Zelenskyy stated he understood "what society is saying" about the protests and that Fedorov would remain "a part of the team" in a different position. Bloomberg reported that Fedorov turned down an offer to become a presidential adviser. In a press conference on July 16, Fedorov said he had asked Zelenskyy to remove Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi after clashes over the pace of technological change.

He noted that battlefield technologies evolve 20 to 30 times each year and that his initiatives had begun to be blocked.